Readers' comments

Same old France: still attached to its revolutionary Jacobin)dream when in fact George Orwell's "some pigs are more equal than others" is far closer the reality. I find it truely ironic that someone who apart from being a party apparatchik has never done a normal job in his entire adult life is the second round leading candidate for the Presidency! The existing incumbent at least does have extensive political management experience though his virtues seem to be far smaller than is faults. A question of better the devil you know?

I'm delighted that the Economist has taken this initiative. French press coverage notoriously lacks the disciplined and facts-based approach of your publication.

Despite the late surge in voting intentions that has benefited Nicolas Sarkozy, he still faces an uphill struggle for the second round.

Generally speaking I continue to be baffled by the ideological necrosis my fellow citizens are still suffering from. Reading thoroughly through Mr Hollande's program, I can't help thinking that incumbent politicians are no longer in tune with the challenges of our time. Two potential explanations here: either they are dishonest and know very well most of their campaign promises will fall through or they are plain incompetent. Neither explanation gives me much confidence in my country's long term outlook.

A striking example is the socialist candidate's flagship measure to "tax the rich" to the tune of 75% of disposable income in excess of 1 million euros of annual salary:

1. This will seldom address the country's gaping public finances deficit (with est. 200 million euros of additional tax revenues per annum) while having a detrimental impact on consumption and investment as an increasing number of wealthy citizens are seeking fiscal residency elsewhere.

2. The half-baked measure was drawn up between 4 individuals (Mr Hollande and 3 advisors) during a 2-hour improvised meeting without seeking expert advice on the topic - the head of the public finances commission at the National Assembly, the socialist Mr Cahuzac, was taken aback when told about the proposed measure by a journalist!

3. Should Mr Hollande be elected to the highest office, and should he keep his campaign promises, this particular measure will not pass muster in any case. The "Conseil d'Etat" - the highest administrative jurisdiction, will most probably reject it on the basis of non-compatibility with the Constitution.

Very few French journalist seem to bother confronting candidates with their blatant contradictions. Let the Economist raise the bar!

I'm delighted that the Economist has taken this initiative. French press coverage notoriously lacks the disciplined and facts-based approach of your publication.

Despite the late surge in voting intentions that has benefited Nicolas Sarkozy, he still faces an uphill struggle for the second round.

Generally speaking I continue to be baffled by the ideological necrosis my fellow citizens are still suffering from. Reading thoroughly through Mr Hollande's program, I can't help thinking that incumbent politicians are no longer in tune with the challenges of our time. Two potential explanations here: either they are dishonest and know very well most of their campaign promises will fall through or they are plain incompetent. Neither explanation gives me much confidence in my country's long term outlook.

A striking example is the socialist candidate's flagship measure to "tax the rich" to the tune of 75% of disposable income in excess of 1 million euros of annual salary:

1. This will seldom address the country's gaping public finances deficit (with est. 200 million euros of additional tax revenues per annum) while having a detrimental impact on consumption and investment as an increasing number of wealthy citizens are seeking fiscal residency elsewhere.

2. The half-baked measure was drawn up between 4 individuals (Mr Hollande and 3 advisors) during a 2-hour improvised meeting without seeking expert advice on the topic - the head of the public finances commission at the National Assembly, the socialist Mr Cahuzac, was taken aback when told about the proposed measure by a journalist!

3. Should Mr Hollande be elected to the highest office, and should he keep his campaign promises, this particular measure will not pass muster in any case. The "Conseil d'Etat" - the highest administrative jurisdiction, will most probably reject it on the basis of non-compatibility with the Constitution.

Very few French journalist seem to bother confronting candidates with their blatant contradictions. Let the Economist raise the bar!

OK hands up I confess I find many aspects of French national politics baffling, like what is the difference between the French right, Sarkozy and the UMP, and Hollande and the French left when there is almost barely no difference between them? Hollande is a open socialist, while Sarkozy is a closet socialist. Both are fans of big state control and state subsidies?

I gather your question was purely rhetorical since you decided to answer it in the same sentence. Personally, I think you are on to something here, but reading this blog regularly might bring your attention to some nuances and a keener understanding of French politics in general.

You should be aware that there is also a dead candidat running for the french presidency.

19th Century French economist and congressman Frédéric Bastiat has recently announced his candidacy for French President.

We, french libertarians and classical liberals, don’t have any candidat to promote our views. We are stuck between right-wing socialism (incumbent president Nicolas Sarkozy) and left-wing socialism (rival socialist candidate François Hollande). All the other political parties are pretty much the same. Because of the lack of choice, we have decided to organise this mock campaign. This is a way for us to make our own revolution, spread the message of liberty, and to express the lack of liberty-minded politicians in France.

Wooww, a new blog about the French presidential election! Let's hope it will not turn into another French-bashing forum. But this time it looks like a real attemp to explain what actually is at stake in this presidential election.

I think it would be very usefull to start explaining key words. For instance "Republicain" in France has a different meaning from "Rebublican" in the US. Another example is the French meaning of "socialist" (nothing to do with Cuba or the Devil).

What do the "Right" and the "Left" actually stand for in France? Here is a interesting explanation in Le Monde if you understand French:

Oh, yeah, another usefull thing would be to remind that Napoleon was not just a dictator as the British press usually depicts him, he was also the architect of a modern political system and a progressist civil law. It's not about History: if you don't understand Napoleon's legacy, you can't understand current French politics.

Not bad, at all. It would have been more apt at the last election with Ségolène Royal as Marquise de Merteuil. But this time it is two dudes. Are you implying that François Hollande is Le Chevalier Raphael Danceny?

In this blog our Paris bureau chief reports and comments on the race for the French presidency. The blog is named after the official residence of the French president, an 18th-century palace in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. Our election coverage is collected here.